Today's News

When the Kingston A All-Stars dropped a game against Sweetwater on Saturday in the District 8 A Tournament, it appeared as if the Junior Jackets might come up short in their bid of making next weekend's Dixie Youth A State Tournament in Joelton.

Sizzling temperatures have kept some people away from numerous fireworks stands around Roane County, but those who man the tents are still seeing a steady drizzle of people.
Pentecostal Lighthouse Church Associate Pastor Harlon McBride said his Midtown tent next to Pattersons Home Appliance is seeing about regular turnout, but he thinks the weather has played a role.
“My other three tents are a little slow,” he admitted.
He said they’ve made some more specials to help compete.

The onslaught of scorching dry weather raised concerns about public safety from people staying cool and concerns about fires.
Over the weekend, with forecasts projecting highs of more than 100 degrees, the Roane County Office of Emergency Services & Homeland Security announced there would be several locations open during the day as cooling centers.
People took advantage of them, too.
“I think we had a couple dozen people show up,” said Howie Rose, Office of Emergency Management.

Shawn Smoot was booked into the Roane County Jail on Saturday.
Sheriff Jack Stockton said two of his deputies transported Smoot to the jail from Mississippi.
“They left Friday morning about 10:30 or so and they got back (Saturday) around 6 o’clock,” he said.
Smoot was indicted by the Roane County grand jury last month for first-degree murder in the death of Brooke Morris.
Her body was found at Blair Road and Old Blair Road last October. Authorities said the 23-year-old Knox County woman was shot to death.

The dry, hot weather is a concern for West Roane County Volunteer Fire Department Chief Charlie Redwine.
“It’s so dry it don’t take hardly anything to ignite a fire right now,” he said.
Redwine said the conditions also make it tough to fight a fire, especially for departments that have limited manpower.
“With volunteer departments, a lot of us have to work during the week,” he said. “Everyone is shorthanded.”

Soaring summer temperatures can increase a pet’s risk of heat related illnesses.
Although it may be tempting to spend the day in the sun with a canine companion, the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine urges pet owners to take precautions to keep pets safe in the heat.

The Tennessee State Parks system has issued a temporary ban on backcountry campfires in all state parks due to dry weather conditions that could increase the potential for wildfire hazards.
The backcountry campfire ban will remain in place until further notice.
In coordination with the Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry efforts, this burn ban serves as an additional measure to ensure the safety of campers and to protect the parks’ forested areas.

Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant will conduct a brief test of emergency sirens at the plant at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 5.
The sirens may be loud enough to be heard outside the plant boundaries. The public is advised that this is only a test.
The sirens are used to notify plant personnel in the event of a chemical release at the plant.

Though hot and dry conditions persist through the Fourth of July holiday, the city of Kingston is still poised today to give the good ol’ U.S.A. a birthday celebration befitting the land of the free, complete with a fireworks extravaganza at dark. The reason? “The fallout zone is on the water,” Kingston Park and Recreation Director Rick Ross confirmed Monday. Extra precautions are being taken, including wetting down the launch area. “We plan like this every year,” he said. The all-day celebration includes festivities around Kingston’s waterfront.